


The social media manager

by Akemichan



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cats, M/M, lot of cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 23:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18559435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akemichan/pseuds/Akemichan
Summary: Welcome to the Instagram Page of the Castle of Lions shelter!Come to us and meet all of our cute cats. They're looking for a family!#cat #cats #kitten #kittens #adoption #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals #straycatsPosted by: K. KoganeLikes: T.Shiro and 1232 othersWritten for the event "Non dire gatto..." created by Fanwriter.itPrompt 6: A works in a shelter and posts a lot of photos and stories to convince people to adopt the cats. BONUS: that's how A meets B





	The social media manager

_Our troublemaker Green finds a house. Finally, she’ll bother someone else! :D_

#cat #cats #adoption #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals #straycats #Greenthetigercat

 

At the end of the meeting, Sam approaches Shiro and smiles. “Your project is ambitious. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Thanks. I hope I’ll be able to pull it off.”

“I’m sure of it. My only reservation is that you will work alone. You’re the only one with this kind of expertise.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Sam nods and turns to go back to Iverson. Matt, at Shiro’s side, snickers. “Nerd.”

Shiro raises an eyebrow at him, not impressed. “You grinned like an idiot for all the meeting.”

“Ahah, sorry. I hope nobody else noticed.” He doesn’t sound too worried. “My sister got a cat yesterday and she’s publishing photos no stop on her Instagram. It’s pretty funny, you should check it too.”

“Oh, cool. I’ll take a look.”

To be honest, Shiro forgets about it until evening. Only then, when he opens his Instagram page to distract himself from his instant noodles that are his usual food for dinner, he’s bombarded by Pidge’s posts. She photographed and filmed her new cat, a small female tiger kitten, every minute of her cat life. Green eating, Green sleeping, Green playing… It looks like a reality show for cats.

Matt was right too, Pidge’s captions were pretty funny and Shiro finds himself lured by it. He runs through the posts with a smile on his face, until he finds the last one, the first picture Pidge took when Green was still at the shelter.

Shiro follows the link Pidge suggested and opens the Instagram page of the shelter “The Castle of Lions”. Out of sheer curiosity, he scrolls the posts. Whoever is the social media manager of the page, he’s pretty good. He creates tales for each cat they have at the shelter, he shares useful information and celebrates every time a cat gets adopted.

Whoever he is, he sure loves his work.

Without thinking, Shiro presses the follow button.

 

_Yesterday I talked about the importance of adopting adult cats. Today, our oldest cat Yellow finds a home. Keep on the good work, guys!_

#cat #cats #adultcat  #yellow #chubbycats #adoption #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals #straycats

 

Looking at “The Castle of Lions” Instagram page becomes a habit for Shiro. Even if he hasn’t yet considered the idea of adopting a cat for real, he’s pleased by keeping himself informed of the situation. He even made a couple of donation on the fundraising for building a new house for the cats.

Shiro is reading an interesting post about the importance of adopting adult cats when Sam approaches him. A little guilt, Shiro places down the phone. He shouldn’t have, since it is his break time, but the project he’s working on is very important for the entire company and he’s giving everything he has for it.

Sam smiles. “Good news. Iverson decided to hire another employer for helping you with the project.”

“For real? I thought Iverson was against the idea.”

“Well, he was because finding another person with your same expertise here would be almost impossible and he didn’t want to settle for something lesser.”

Shiro frown. “What made him changed his mind?”

“You wouldn’t believe it, but someone applies for the position and he has your same Ph.D. And coming from Harvard too.”

“Wow.” Shiro is impressed. Not many people are into his subject, and they usually don’t live in Arus, but in bigger cities, working with bigger companies.

“Yeah.” Sam nods. “To be honest, I know Iverson wasn’t so thrilled after the interview with him, but considering his CV, he had no other choice but hired him.”

“Something wrong with the interview?”

Sam shrugs. “I don’t know. First impression, I guess. But I read a couple of his essays. He’s good. I’ll send them to you.”

Shiro smiles. He’s pretty excited at the idea of having someone else to share his project with. “When will he start?”

“In a couple of days.”

Happy, Shiro returns to Instagram. He hides the idea of being disappointed that the Castle of Lion publishes only one post that day.

 

_You. You did this. You are a bastard._

_I don’t know if they’ll survive. Bastard._

_Sterilize your cats, you fucker._

#tw:blood #tw:dyingcat #tw:animalabuse #abandonedcat

 

Iverson is screaming no stop at the phone. It’s impossible distinguishing the words behind the closed doors of his office, but he’s clearly pissed off. Most of the other employers get near the doors, trying to catch the reason for his outburst. Sam isn’t there at the moment, so they don’t have anyone brave enough to knock and investigate the matter.

Shiro shakes his head and grabs the phone. He’s sure Iverson will inform them as soon as he finishes screaming. They just have to wait, and Shiro decides to do so looking at the Caste of Lions’ page. Especially because he’s worried about their situation.

The morning post is still there, and Shiro still feels his heart clutching at the photo of the two newborn cats that the shelter employer found in the trash. Two kittens, eyes still closed, still dirtied with the blood of the labor, one of them (the black one) with its umbilical cord still attached. The outburst of the social media manager is entirely justified and the comments in the post all agree with him in the matter. They are mostly insults against the culprit and prayers the two kittens will survive.

Since the morning, there are other two posts, one with the photo of the two kittens as they are treated by the veterinary, the other is a video.

 

_The kittens are one or two days old. The red’s female, the black’s male._

_They probably haven’t eaten anything yet. We hope it’s not too late._

#tw:dyingcat #tw:animalabuse #abandonedcat #blackthecat #redthecat #cats

 

_Red’s a cute girl and she’s so, so hungry. VIDEO_

#cat #cats #redthecat #kittens #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals #straycats

 

Shiro looks at the video. He can’t see the face of the person that is feeding the red kitten with a syringe, but he can hear the voice. Low, rough, but sweet as he murmurs some reassuring words to the kitten. Shiro can’t keep his eyes away from the person’s hands, the delicate way he grabs the kitten, with his index finger that rubs a little the kitten’s belly.

The kitten meows. “Here, here, good girl. You are hungry, aren’t you?”

Shiro is at his third replay of the video when Iverson leaves his office. He doesn’t pay attention at any of the others – who rush back at their desk – and trumps at Shiro’s seat.

“I’m sorry, Shirogane. Looks like you won’t receive reinforcement at your project for now.”

“Why?”

“Because apparently the person I hired has something better to do than join us as he promised,” Iverson grits. “The nerve! I’m pretty sure he realized he’s the only one with that kind of expertise around and he wants to raise the stake. But if he thinks he can do it forever, he’s very, very wrong. I won’t tolerate it forever.”

Iverson rambles as he isn't talking with Shiro anymore, so Shiro coughs a little. “So, what now? I prepared some documents for him, but at his point…”

“Oh, you can send them to him. He assured me he will work from home, but I don’t trust him on this. Luckily for us, we have you, Shirogane.”

Shiro doesn’t reply. To be honest, he’s a little bit disappointed by the situation, because he hoped to share his vision and his project with someone else. He still sends the e-mail with the documents he collects even if, by Iverson’s words, he doesn’t expect too much from it.

Turns out Iverson is wrong.

 

_Dear Shirogane,_

_Thanks for the documents. It’ll take a while for me to read all of them._

_In the meantime, I’ll attach for you a couple of researches I made that can be useful for you._

_Please let me know if you need something in particular from me._

_Regards_

_K. Kogane_

The researches are definitely useful for Shiro, and they spare him a good three hours of work. With a smile on his face, he makes a break and checks the news about the two kittens on the Castle of Lions’ Instagram page.

 

_Black hind legs’ are paralyzed. He’s a strong kitten, he’ll be fine, but he won’t be like other cats._

_Adopting him won’t be easy._

_That’s why you need to sterilize your cats!_

#cat #cats #blackthecat #adoption #disablecat #kittens #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals #straycats

 

Shiro parks his car on the street, a couple of meters away from the shelter. Lance is the first one to get off, dragging Hunk with him.

“Thank you for walking us,” Pidge says. “My dad told me you have a lot of works in these days.”

Shiro sighs. “That’s true, but I can take a day off. And I want to see the shelter myself.”

He’s still upset with Iverson, that in the end decided to fire Kogane even before he has a chance to step in the office. Shiro can understand it from a personal point of view, since they made an agreement and Kogane broke it refusing to come at work because of other obligations. At a certain point, Iverson has to put some rules down. But from another point of view, Kogane is pretty good and he’s helping Shiro. Shiro wonders how much helpful Kogane can be if he finally starts working in the company.

It doesn’t matter anymore.

“I’m more surprised you managed to convince Lance to adopt a cat.”

Pidge snickers. “He’s not really here for the cats. You’ll see.”

The Castle of Lions Shelter looks like Shiro expects it: a nice, comfortable house, painted in light blue and white, with a strong smell. The entrance looks like the hall of a hotel, but with a lot of cats’ photos hung at the walls. A Scottish man named Coran welcomes them.

“Pidge, my girl! I saw Green’s photo on your Facebook. She’s so big now!”

“Twice her size. And twice the troublemaker she was before!” She laughs. “I was thinking to start a Facebook page only for her.”

Coran pats Hunk’s shoulder. “And what about Yellow? Does he become fatter?”

“Yeah.” Hunk chuckles embarrassed. “I fear it’s my fault though. I can’t tell him no.”

“I remember it.” Coran nods. “He looks at you with his big eyes and you’re doomed. Sure a mischievous cat, that one.” Then his attention moves on Lance, who's squirming his neck to look a little more inside the shelter. “I don’t know you, young boy.”

“He’s Lance,” Pidge introduces him. “We’re trying to convince him to adopt an adult cat.”

“You know, the one that resembles a Russian Blue? She suits him,” Hunk adds.

“Ohoh. But of course. I’ll let Allura escort you.”

Allura is the veterinarian at the shelter, the daughter of the previous owner. A beautiful young woman, and looking at her Shiro realizes what Pidge meant before. Lance is immediately over the moon for her and that seems the evil plan of Pidge and Hunk for having another cat adopted. Allura doesn’t seem so into that, but she smiles.

“Sure. Come with me, Blue is in the yard catching butterflies.”

Lance makes a flirty comment about butterflies and Shiro is happy he’s too far from him to hear it, but he can see Pidge rolling her eyes as they all follow Allura. Shiro waits for them to disappears inside the shelter before turning at Coran.

“So, what about you, big boy?” he says. “You’re just here to accompany the children?” he jokes.

“Oh, no, no. They’re definitely not my children,” Shiro replies. “I’m here for Black.”

At that, Coran’s eyes narrow. It’s a small gesture, and immediately Coran returns to his cheerful self. “Of course. Let’s check if Keith is available for you.”

He locks the front door and makes a gesture for Shiro to follow. They take the same door Allura did before, but they turn before the yard and reach the small area of the storage. There, a young man is lifting a sack of cat treats bigger than him and, for a second, Shiro fears he will end smashed under its weight.

“Keith! There’s a visitor for Black,” Coran announces. “Can you go with him? Allura is with other guests.”

Keith turns his head a little and glares at Shiro. Despite his not very kind expression, he’s beautiful, Shiro realizes.

“Hi. I’m Shiro,” Shiro introduces himself, with a little smile.

Keith puts down the sack and nods a little for Shiro to follow him and leaves the room without a word. Coran reserves an apologetic smile to Shiro, before Shiro moves to catch up with Keith. He still walks behind him, waiting for Keith to start a conversation.

He doesn’t. He stops in front of a glass window and nods at Shiro to look through. Shiro obeys: he sees a small room, with a lot of small balls on the floor. A litter on the corner, a cat tree on another, and a small basket in another one. Black and Red are there, sleeping next to a stuffed hippo. They are so small, they almost sink in the pillow inside the basket.

Shiro smiles fondly. “I follow their history on the Instagram page,” he comments. “I’m glad they’re both alive. I feel like I’m their dad too,” he jokes.

Keith snorts. “Yeah. Everybody does.”

It’s the first time Keith speaks and Shiro blinks at him. He recognizes immediately the same voice of the video, the voice of the person that took care of Black and Red in the past month. Shiro’s mind returns to the Instagram video, now picturing the entire figure of Keith as he fed Red. Shiro tries to imagine Keith with a sweeter expression, to match the voice Shiro remembers.

“Everybody comes and checks on them, but taking care of Black is another thing than just watching an Instagram video,” Keith continues. “He’ll never jump around, and he’ll need constant attention. It’s all easy behind the screen.”

Oh. Now Shiro understands the reason of Coran and Keith’s suspicious behavior. Shiro isn’t the only one that comes at the shelter after following Black’s story on Instagram. And apparently, things weren’t great with the others before him.

“I’m pretty sure I can handle Black,” Shiro says. “It can’t be harder than learn to put on pants with only one arm.”

Keith turns at him and Shiro lifts his prosthetic arm to show him what he means. Keith’s anger expression fells and he opens his mouth in surprise. “I apologize,” he says, at the end. “I didn’t… I didn’t notice.”

“It’s okay, it means I’m pretty good at doing things with one arm.” He shots a look at the window. “Do you think I can… meet him?”

Keith nods slowly. “Wait a second.” He enters the room and closes the door behind him. The kittens notice him. He kneels down and smiles as Red runs towards him. Keith stops her with a finger and then rubs her back. Red playfully bites his finger. Black is slower, he drags his body using his forelegs as leverage, as the back of his body slips on the floor. He’s an obstinate kitten and he releases a loudly meow as he manages to reach Keith.

Keith awards him of a scratch under the chin before gesturing at Shiro to enter. Shiro slips in the room and closes the door. Immediately, Red runs back to her basket. She remains there, in attack position, wagging her little tail, and she hisses at Shiro.

“She’s scared of strangers,” Keith explains. “She doesn’t let anyone near her but me. Here.”

He waits for Shiro to kneel down next to him before lifting with attention Black from the floor and placing him in the palm of Shiro’s prosthetic hand. A little wary of the new spot, Black freezes. Shiro puts his other hand near him and waits for Black to sniff it. He laughs at little as Black licks his index finger and then rub his nose and his face against Shiro’s hand.

“Scratch his head,” Keith encourages him.

Shiro obeys, still a little scared because Black is so small Shiro fears he can crush him with a careless movement. He’s rewarded by Black’s loudly purr and by the fact Black lies down better on his palm, showing his belly.

“I’m in love,” Shiro admits.

Keith smiles. “I’ll show you something.”

He takes Black back on the floor and leaves the room, Shiro goes after him. They watch from the window. Black, alone at the center of the room, meows. It’s a painful sound, and Shiro is ready to rush back on the room to reassure him, but Red beats him. At the first meow, she runs next to Black. She sniffs him and she licks him to reassure him. Black purrs again. A second later, they’re playing together, as Red lies down and Black bit her tail.

“Red is very protective of Black,” Keith says. “If possible, I’d like for them to be adopted together, but I can’t force people to take two cats and Black is already a very difficult cat for adoption…”

“When can they be adopted?” Shiro asks. “I read kittens shouldn’t be separated from their mother until the third month…”

“It’s true, but for kittens like Black and Red the situation is different. They need a family that takes care of them as soon as possible.”

“How the procedure works?”

“Well, usually Allura or I do a little interview with the person, going to check the house to decide if it’s a safe adoption. Then we bring the cat to the house and then make a couple of regular checks to see if the cat is treated well…”

“Okay.” Shiro nods. “What about I ask you out for a coffee so you can interview me? I mean, if it’s okay with you.”

Keith looks at him with wide eyes. Shiro already regrets asking it when Keith’s expression softens and he chuckles a little. It’s a beautiful sight. “Sounds good. Come with me.”

There is a coffee machine in a small room that Shiro guesses it’s the shelter’s employers restroom. Probably Shiro isn't allowed to stay there, but he isn’t going to complain. He sits down at the small table as Keith prepares two coffees.

“Can I ask you something before you start the interview?” he says once Keith places the coffee in front of him.

“Sure.”

“Why don’t you adopt Red and Black? Or Red, at least. It’s clear you’re very fond of them. I mean, it’s understandable since you took care of them but…”

Keith lowers his head and for a long minute he concentrates on turning the spoon in his coffee. “Various reasons,” he says, at last. “First of all, Allura advised me not to do so. We can’t get too attached or it’ll be hard for us when they get adopted. And we can’t adopt them all by ourselves.”

“Ah, yeah.” Shiro takes a sip of his coffee. It’s good.

“And I already have a dog in my small apartment. I wasn’t a cat person before… all this,” Keith continues. “And I’m currently unemployed. I don’t think I can’t take care of them, so…”

“I thought you work here.”

“No, I’m a volunteer. Allura gives me something for my expenses but the shelter lives with donations so I don’t have a salary.” He sighs. “I found like, the work of my dream, but then Red and Black happened and I got fired before even starting. I don’t think I’ll ever find a job like that giving my kind of expertise but I hope at least to get something so I can pay my bills.”

“What is your branch?”

“Astrophysics.”

“What.”

“Yeah. Pretty peculiar, right?”

That isn’t the reason for Shiro’s surprise.

K. Kogane.

Keith Kogane.

“ _You’re_ Kogane? You're supposed

to work at the Galaxy Garrison?”

Keith blinks. “ _Shiro_ … gane?”

“Oh, so that was the important obligation you have that made Iverson so angry.”

There is a flash of pink on Keith’s cheeks. “Sorry about that. I… I didn’t mean to screw things over but… I was the one finding Red and Black and…”

“Okay. I have a proposal,” Shiro says. “You let me pass the interview so I can adopt Black and Red and I’ll convince Iverson to hire you back.”

Keith looks incredulous. “Aren’t you angry at me?” he asks. “It wasn’t… a very professional behavior.”

“You saved my cats,” Shiro replies, with a smile. “And your work was pretty great. I need that help. We have a deal?”

In the end, Keith smiles. “Deal.”

 

_Not every time you approve the cats’ new family… but you have to accept the cats’ decision and be happy for them. Adopting adult cats is always important!_

#cat #cats #adoption #adultcats #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals #straycats #RussianBlue #idonttrustthisguy

 

“Okay, everyone.” Iverson finally releases Keith from his office and introduces him to the curiosity of the others. “This is Keith Kogane. He’ll work with us from now, and he’ll assist Shirogane in his project. That’s all.”

“Hi.” Keith greets them, as he lifts his hand a little.

“Shirogane, I count on you to explain everything to him,” Iverson says, leading Keith at his new desk, just next Shiro’s.

“Of course,” Shiro nods. He smiles at Keith, who hasn’t missed the background of the computer with a photo of Red and Black curled on Shiro’s sofa. “Good to have you back.”

“Good to be back.”

 

_Sometimes, it’s hard to say goodbye. Especially if they stole your heart._

_(And they aren’t the only one who did that)._

#cat #cats #adoption #blackthecat #redthecat #kittens #lovethemwithallmyheart #castleoflions #cuteanimals #animal #animals


End file.
